Unhealthy state health needs ?private nursing?

VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS, working in association with the State Health Department, have decided to seek the services of corporate houses to improve upon the functioning of defunct government and Municiple corporation hospitals. The organizations, including UP Health Services Development Programme, have decided to seek state government?s nod on the issue.

VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS, working in association with the State Health Department, have decided to seek the services of corporate houses to improve upon the functioning of defunct government and Municiple corporation hospitals. The organizations, including UP Health Services Development Programme, have decided to seek state government’s nod on the issue.

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At a workshop held in the city to evolve a strategy to enhance the coverage of various national health programmes being carried out by the Central Government, a proposal has been approved to promote the participation of private organisations to strengthen the fragile state health infrastructure, by officials of SIFSA, USAID, IMA, NGOs, private practitioners and SACS, besides administrative officers of the health department.

The proposal in this regard is being forwarded to the state government for its approval so that the public-private partnership in the health sector could be implemented. The members, who participated in the meet, were unanimous on the fact if hospitals were given a brand name after tying up with a reputed private organisation, the latter, in an effort to maintain its brand name, would cater to the need of people living in far-flung areas.

The purpose of the workshop was to bridge the gap between people availing health facilities from government hospitals and those who prefer private hospitals to government ones.

The data produced in the workshop astonished many participants. Despite the best effort by the state government, the immunization level has covered only 20 per cent target.

Talking to HT, a senior IAS officer and Project Director of UPHSDP Shailesh Krishna said, “The health scenario in UP has an impact on the world bodies related to health care. If the image of the state is affected, the image of the country also gets tarnished.” He also said if the private organisations were allowed to run defunct PHC and CHCs on contractual basis, it would generate jobs and extend area of health services.

Several administrative officers present in the workshop felt that the only way out to overcome the acute shortage of man power in the health department was to encourage the participation of private sectors. Members also laid stress on the need to work meticulously to check the infant and maternal mortality rate by providing Rural Child Health Care and Family Planning Services at a fast pace and in collaboration with the private sector.

The UPHSDP, after getting extension of another two years by the WHO, has decided to monitor its work initially at its four pilot districts —- Banda, Budaun, Mainpuri and Behraich.

The workshop also demanded involvement of private organisations and hospitals in health services.

They would be asked to provide services to villages on contractual basis and give the facilities at a subsidised rate to the poor.